924:
102:
counties that, collectively, had less than one-third of the state's total population. Because of this, statewide candidates for office could (and frequently did) win the primary by winning the county unit vote while losing the overall popular vote, sometimes by large margins. This also gave rise to
451:
decision, the
Georgia Legislature had the option to redesign the county unit system to meet the new "one person, one vote" standard. The legislature chose, instead, to continue electing statewide offices by their popular vote, which continues to the present day. The newly elected Governor Sanders
77:
Under the county unit system, the 159 counties in
Georgia were divided by population into three categories. The largest eight counties were classified as "urban", the next-largest 30 counties were classified as "town", and the remaining 121 counties were classified as "rural". Urban counties were
101:
The county unit system generated great controversy, since it gave the votes of counties with smaller populations a significantly greater weight than counties with larger populations. For at least the final two decades the system was in use, a majority of statewide unit votes were controlled by
322:
had pledged to maintain the county unit system, but after Judge Bell issued the injunction against its usage, Vandiver then ordered the
Georgia Democratic State Executive Committee to conduct the 1962 primary by popular vote.
284:
547:
287:
which challenged the legality of the county unit system. James H. Gray, the chairman of the State
Executive Committee of the Democratic Party, was one of the defendants named in the suit. Judge
61:
was the single dominant party in state politics. Democratic nominees frequently ran unopposed or with only token opposition in general elections, so the
Democratic primary election usually
50:
Though the county unit system had informally been used since 1898, it was formally enacted by the Neill
Primary Act of 1917. The system was ostensibly designed to function similarly to the
78:
given 6 unit votes, town counties were given 4 unit votes, and rural counties were given 2 unit votes, for a total of 410 available unit votes. Each county's unit votes were awarded on a
54:, and so in practice the large ratio of unit votes for small, rural counties to unit votes for more populous urban areas provided outsized political influence to the smaller counties.
964:
326:
Due to the court's injunction of the county unit system in 1962, that year's
Democratic gubernatorial primary was the first to be decided by popular vote since 1908. It was won by
959:
89:
of unit votes (not necessarily a majority of the popular vote), or 206 total unit votes, to win the election. If no candidate received a majority in the initial primary, a
262:
on the grounds that apportionment issues should be handled by individual states. In 1962, however, the
Supreme Court reversed its opinion, ruling in the Tennessee case of
467:
However, conservative legislators feared the end of the county unit system as portending a loss of white power in the electoral process, and State
Representative
555:
944:
888:
State of
Georgia. "Consolidated Vote, State Democratic Primary, Held September 12, 1962". Written at Atlanta, Georgia. In Virginia W. Atwell (ed.).
954:
461:
342:) to be elected governor since the 1920s. In addition, a State Senate district was reconfigured in Fulton County, allowing for the election of
117:
garnered a nearly 60% majority of the statewide county unit votes and won the primary, even though he lost the popular vote by 16,144 votes to
464:, providing more proportional representation to the state's urban areas as well as to the first Black members elected to the State House.
335:
805:
480:
258:
Several lawsuits were filed in the 1940s and 1950s challenging the constitutionality of the system. These lawsuits were rejected by the
110:
782:
343:
259:
51:
58:
291:
ruled in Sanders' favor, issuing an injunction against using the system just months before the 1962 gubernatorial primary.
663:
298:
by a vote of 8–1 declaring the county unit system unconstitutional in its current form. In the majority opinion, Justice
479:. The bill was passed in 1964, but would not be extended to statewide executive elections until after the result of the
831:
J. Harmon Smith. "History of Georgia's County Unit System". Written at Atlanta, Georgia. In Virginia W. Atwell (ed.).
928:
863:
745:
719:
614:
42:
to determine a victor in statewide primary elections, as well as some Congressional elections, from 1917 until 1962.
949:
914:
79:
503:
457:
339:
531:
The Three Governors Controversy: Skullduggery, Machinations, and the Decline of Georgia's Progressive Politics
640:
280:
106:
such as Roy V. Harris, who were known for their ability to deliver the unit votes of many rural counties.
62:
302:
wrote, "The concept of political equality ... can mean only one thing—one person, one vote." The
39:
69:, to make sure that only the votes of white rural voters would be reflected in statewide elections.
175:
118:
299:
809:
778:
582:
307:
772:
483:, which persuaded the General Assembly to send Amendment 2 to passage by referendum in 1968.
272:
questions, thus enabling federal courts to intervene in and to decide reapportionment cases.
476:
472:
331:
194:
889:
832:
692:
468:
453:
319:
295:
155:
114:
90:
66:
380:
938:
264:
366:
327:
288:
17:
691:
State of Georgia. "Consolidated Vote, State Democratic Primary, July 17, 1946".
585:. Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies. October 6, 2011
269:
109:
One of the most controversial elections of the county unit system era was the
35:
471:
drafted legislation to change the primary and general election systems from
103:
529:
Bullock III, Charles S.; Buchanan, Scott E.; Gaddie, Ronald Keith (2015).
294:
Gray appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which on March 8, 1963,
121:, who himself only won a plurality, not a majority, of the popular vote.
86:
507:
338:
in November. Sanders was the first person from an urban county (
643:. Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
93:
was held between the top two candidates to determine a winner.
840:. Hapeville, Georgia: Longino & Porter. pp. 943–944
641:"Earl P. Cook Collection of County Unit System Materials"
897:. Hapeville, Georgia: Longino & Porter. p. 1436
912:
777:. Athens: University of Georgia Press. p. 40.
506:. Georgia County Clerks Association. Archived from
27:
Voting system in Georgia, United States (1917–1962)
554:. The African American Experience. Archived from
346:as the first Black state legislator since 1908.
65:. This was combined with other devices, such as
113:. By winning a large number of rural counties,
965:1962 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
57:For the period this system was in effect, the
8:
960:1917 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
310:decision handed down by the Supreme Court.
857:
855:
533:. University of Georgia Press. p. 10.
348:
334:, who would go on to win unopposed in the
123:
808:. georgiaencyclopedia.org. Archived from
662:Huff, Christopher Allen (June 28, 2007).
577:
575:
573:
542:
540:
686:
684:
285:U.S. District Court for Northern Georgia
919:
492:
439:
435:
424:
245:
241:
224:
891:Georgia's Official Register, 1961–1962
834:Georgia's Official Register, 1961–1962
694:Georgia's Official Register, 1945-1950
498:
496:
862:Cook, James F. (September 12, 2002).
608:
606:
604:
602:
600:
148:
145:
142:
139:
134:
131:
128:
111:1946 Democratic gubernatorial primary
85:Candidates were required to obtain a
7:
774:Ernest Vandiver, Governor of Georgia
279:decision, James Sanders, a voter in
63:determined the eventual officeholder
481:1966 Georgia gubernatorial election
613:Buchanan, Scott (April 15, 2005).
268:that redistricting issues present
25:
806:"Ernest Vandiver Jr. (1918-2005)"
945:Politics of Georgia (U.S. state)
922:
771:Henderson, Harold Paulk (2000).
254:Legal challenges and overturning
34:was a voting system used by the
955:Georgia (U.S. state) elections
1:
462:U.S. Congressional districts
452:also spearheaded a massive
981:
746:"Gray v. Sanders decision"
583:"County Unit System, eh?"
552:The Jim Crow Encyclopedia
440:
436:
425:
359:
356:
353:
283:, filed a lawsuit in the
246:
242:
225:
221:
868:New Georgia Encyclopedia
720:"Baker v. Carr decision"
668:New Georgia Encyclopedia
639:Cook, Earl Pope (1946).
619:New Georgia Encyclopedia
308:"one person, one vote"
929:Georgia (U.S. state)
615:"County Unit System"
504:"County Unit System"
812:on February 1, 2013
447:Following the 1963
393:Grace Wilkey Thomas
350:
306:case was the first
296:rendered a decision
275:Following the 1962
176:James V. Carmichael
125:
119:James V. Carmichael
558:on 23 January 2015
349:
300:William O. Douglas
124:
32:county unit system
18:County-unit system
950:Electoral systems
548:"Eugene Talmadge"
445:
444:
251:
250:
52:Electoral College
16:(Redirected from
972:
927:
926:
925:
918:
907:
906:
904:
902:
896:
885:
879:
878:
876:
874:
859:
850:
849:
847:
845:
839:
828:
822:
821:
819:
817:
802:
796:
795:
793:
791:
768:
762:
761:
759:
757:
742:
736:
735:
733:
731:
726:. March 26, 1962
716:
710:
709:
707:
705:
699:
688:
679:
678:
676:
674:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
610:
595:
594:
592:
590:
579:
568:
567:
565:
563:
544:
535:
534:
526:
520:
519:
517:
515:
500:
477:two-round system
473:plurality voting
458:General Assembly
415:Cecil L. Langham
351:
336:general election
195:Eurith D. Rivers
135:County unit vote
126:
59:Democratic Party
21:
980:
979:
975:
974:
973:
971:
970:
969:
935:
934:
933:
923:
921:
913:
911:
910:
900:
898:
894:
887:
886:
882:
872:
870:
861:
860:
853:
843:
841:
837:
830:
829:
825:
815:
813:
804:
803:
799:
789:
787:
785:
770:
769:
765:
755:
753:
752:. March 8, 1963
744:
743:
739:
729:
727:
718:
717:
713:
703:
701:
697:
690:
689:
682:
672:
670:
664:"Roy V. Harris"
661:
660:
656:
646:
644:
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
612:
611:
598:
588:
586:
581:
580:
571:
561:
559:
546:
545:
538:
528:
527:
523:
513:
511:
502:
501:
494:
489:
469:Denmark Groover
454:reapportionment
449:Gray v. Sanders
320:Ernest Vandiver
316:
304:Gray v. Sanders
256:
156:Eugene Talmadge
115:Eugene Talmadge
99:
91:runoff election
80:winner-take-all
75:
67:white primaries
48:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
978:
976:
968:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
937:
936:
932:
931:
909:
908:
880:
864:"Carl Sanders"
851:
823:
797:
784:978-0820322230
783:
763:
737:
711:
680:
654:
631:
596:
569:
536:
521:
510:on 31 May 2008
491:
490:
488:
485:
443:
442:
438:
437:
434:
433:
430:
427:
423:
422:
419:
416:
412:
411:
408:
405:
401:
400:
397:
394:
390:
389:
386:
383:
381:Marvin Griffin
377:
376:
373:
370:
362:
361:
358:
355:
315:
312:
255:
252:
249:
248:
244:
243:
240:
239:
236:
233:
230:
227:
223:
222:
220:
217:
214:
210:
209:
206:
203:
200:
197:
191:
190:
187:
184:
181:
178:
172:
171:
168:
165:
162:
159:
151:
150:
147:
144:
141:
137:
136:
133:
130:
98:
95:
74:
71:
47:
44:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
977:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
942:
940:
930:
920:
916:
893:
892:
884:
881:
869:
865:
858:
856:
852:
836:
835:
827:
824:
811:
807:
801:
798:
786:
780:
776:
775:
767:
764:
751:
747:
741:
738:
725:
721:
715:
712:
700:. p. 486
696:
695:
687:
685:
681:
669:
665:
658:
655:
642:
635:
632:
620:
616:
609:
607:
605:
603:
601:
597:
584:
578:
576:
574:
570:
557:
553:
549:
543:
541:
537:
532:
525:
522:
509:
505:
499:
497:
493:
486:
484:
482:
478:
474:
470:
465:
463:
459:
456:of Georgia's
455:
450:
431:
428:
420:
417:
414:
413:
409:
406:
404:Hoke O'Kelley
403:
402:
398:
395:
392:
391:
387:
384:
382:
379:
378:
374:
371:
369:
368:
364:
363:
352:
347:
345:
344:Leroy Johnson
341:
337:
333:
329:
324:
321:
313:
311:
309:
305:
301:
297:
292:
290:
286:
282:
281:Fulton County
278:
277:Baker v. Carr
273:
271:
267:
266:
265:Baker v. Carr
261:
260:Supreme Court
253:
237:
234:
231:
228:
218:
215:
213:Hoke O'Kelley
212:
211:
207:
204:
201:
198:
196:
193:
192:
188:
185:
182:
179:
177:
174:
173:
169:
166:
163:
160:
158:
157:
153:
152:
138:
127:
122:
120:
116:
112:
107:
105:
96:
94:
92:
88:
83:
81:
72:
70:
68:
64:
60:
55:
53:
45:
43:
41:
37:
33:
19:
899:. Retrieved
890:
883:
871:. Retrieved
867:
842:. Retrieved
833:
826:
814:. Retrieved
810:the original
800:
788:. Retrieved
773:
766:
754:. Retrieved
749:
740:
728:. Retrieved
723:
714:
702:. Retrieved
693:
671:. Retrieved
667:
657:
645:. Retrieved
634:
622:. Retrieved
618:
587:. Retrieved
560:. Retrieved
556:the original
551:
530:
524:
512:. Retrieved
508:the original
466:
448:
446:
367:Carl Sanders
365:
328:Carl Sanders
325:
317:
303:
293:
289:Griffin Bell
276:
274:
263:
257:
154:
132:Popular vote
108:
100:
84:
76:
73:Organization
56:
49:
31:
29:
270:justiciable
97:Controversy
939:Categories
901:August 17,
844:August 17,
704:August 17,
487:References
104:kingmakers
36:U.S. state
873:12 August
816:April 28,
756:12 August
730:12 August
673:12 August
647:12 August
624:12 August
589:12 August
562:12 August
514:12 August
354:Candidate
318:Governor
314:Aftermath
129:Candidate
441:Source:
340:Richmond
247:Source:
87:majority
790:22 June
750:FindLaw
724:Findlaw
460:and 10
429:852,350
385:332,746
372:494,978
332:Augusta
229:691,881
180:313,389
161:297,245
82:basis.
46:History
40:Georgia
915:Portal
781:
432:100.00
396:12,579
238:100.00
232:100.00
216:11,758
199:69,489
895:(PDF)
838:(PDF)
698:(PDF)
475:to a
426:Total
418:3,319
407:8,728
388:39.04
375:58.07
357:Votes
226:Total
202:10.04
189:35.12
183:45.30
170:59.51
164:42.96
146:Votes
140:Votes
903:2013
875:2013
846:2013
818:2012
792:2016
779:ISBN
758:2013
732:2013
706:2013
675:2013
649:2013
626:2013
591:2013
564:2013
516:2013
421:0.39
410:1.02
399:1.48
219:1.70
208:5.37
30:The
330:of
235:410
186:144
167:244
38:of
941::
866:.
854:^
748:.
722:.
683:^
666:.
617:.
599:^
572:^
550:.
539:^
495:^
205:22
917::
905:.
877:.
848:.
820:.
794:.
760:.
734:.
708:.
677:.
651:.
628:.
593:.
566:.
518:.
360:%
149:%
143:%
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.